De Civitate Dei (full title:
De Civitate Dei contra Paganos, translated in
English as
The City of God Against the Pagans) or
The City of God is a book of
Christian philosophy written in
Latin by
Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century
AD. The book was in response to allegations that Christianity brought about the decline of Rome and is considered one of Augustine's most important works, standing alongside
The Confessions,
The Enchiridion,
On Christian Doctrine, and
On the Trinity. As a work of one of the most influential
Church Fathers,
The City of God is a cornerstone of Western thought, expounding on many profound questions of theology, such as the suffering of the righteous, the existence of evil, the conflict between free will and divine omniscience, and the doctrine of original sin.